


Bittersweet

by RedParrot



Series: The Greater Good - Part Two [16]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Birth, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Miscarriage Mentioned, Mpreg, Omegaverse, Rutting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-22 06:01:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30034146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedParrot/pseuds/RedParrot
Summary: The family prepare to welcome their newest member. And a member of the extended family causes concern.
Series: The Greater Good - Part Two [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1738087
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

Jamie sank back on the bed. The shower had been welcome. His second solo rut was almost done. He stared at the ceiling and imagined his mate. Sammy would have been bustling around tidying his already tidy room if they were in the middle of his heat. If the Omega had been in the shower, he might have had drops of water snaking down his bare-back… Jamie smiled.

His smile faded a little. 

But what Sammy was actually doing was getting ready for the birth of his and Daniel’s baby.

One baby.

Poor Sammy was devastated by the loss of one of the twins he had been carrying. He had tried to put on a brave face, but they all know how sad he was. Jamie was sure each member of the family had found him crying at one point or another. Even Peter and Mary had managed to comfort Sammy. Peter, who was starting to understand what it meant to be an Alpha, had encouraged Sammy to sit down and got him a glass of lemonade. Mary had asked him to help her with her homework to distract him.

And then there was Daniel, the other grieving parent. He had started off being strong and silent. Until Jamie confronted him and forced him to talk. The two Alphas had taken themselves off for a long walk and Daniel had finally talked about the loss. Both Sammy and Daniel had thanked Jamie afterwards.

The tension had eased a little. Jamie was pleased, he would have found his rut a lot harder to control otherwise. Clive had offered to act as a placebo, and Jamie had considered it. But he had worried he might forget himself and be too forceful. He would not have been able to forgive himself. They did not need any more tension in the house.

He could feel the urge building in him again. He slid his hand down his torso and reached for his already hard cock. He thought of Sammy moving to present for his Alpha as his need to mate became overwhelming. He thought of settling between his Omega's legs and easing himself forward. The feeling of filling his mate. The little positive noises Sammy made as they mated. Asking if Sammy was ready for his knot. Knowing he would be. He thought of their bodies locked together as he came inside his mate. Sammy sometimes passed out at that moment. But that was not unusual.

Jamie panted as he finished. He hated not being able to mate with Sammy but was pleased the Omega was pregnant. Even if the pregnancy had been a horrible time for the whole family. 

Soon he would be able to join the family again. He was pleased his rut had started a few days before Sammy's due date. He would be able to help with looking after the children. He was sure Clive and Meg would have been fine. Although Clive was still recovering from his broken leg, and Meg was working on some important legislation that would affect their lives. The less she was disturbed the better.

He grabbed one of the damp cloths and cleaned himself up. 

A couple of shouts from outside drew his attention to the window. His bedroom looked over the large gravel driveway at the side of the house. He could see the workshop from his room. Daniel was wiping down the large worktable and calling out encouragement to Peter and Henry who were moving offcuts of wood from a pile in the corner to the back of their new pickup truck. The Alpha’s were enjoying their important task and racing to see who could load the most wood. Jamie guessed Daniel was going to take the young Alpha’s with him when he took the wood to the local waste recycling plant a few miles away. 

Once the workshop was tidied up Daniel would be closing it up for a couple of weeks so that he could concentrate on Sammy and his new baby. The carpenter had finished the last bespoke piece of furniture a couple of days before. Jamie and Graham were going to continue with the final touches to the cottage. The large project was almost complete, and they had already taken a couple of bookings for the following summer. 

Jamie hoped the cottage would make the family a bit of money over the summer months. They were comfortable with the money Daniel’s carpentry business brought in and Meg was well paid for her work at Parliament but neither income could be relied upon. Sammy would not be able to return to work for several months and none of the family wanted Clive to go back to work. 

Peter and Henry finished loading up the smaller offcuts and were dragging a large piece across. Henry looked annoyed when Daniel indicated for them to wait for him before trying to lift the wood onto the pickup truck. Jamie chuckled at Daniel pretending he could not lift the piece of wood on his own and needing both Peter and Henry’s help to push it onto the back of the truck. The action helped to avoid a pout from Henry and left the two boys satisfied that they had done their job well. Daniel sent them both back into the house. 

Jamie sighed and turned away from the window. He could feel the urges building again. When he was with Sammy the mating would last for three or four days, they would sleep between each mating. But on his own it was relentless. It was as though his body longed for an Omega to be with. He had lost count of the number of times he had masturbated. He knew it would not last much longer, maybe even as little as a few hours. But he would be left exhausted for another couple of days. He hoped the boys would not want him to do anything too energetic. He wondered if he might get a chance to sit with Sammy for a while. The Omega's healing vibes would be welcome. 

A~B~O

The following morning Jamie felt sated enough to emerge from his room. It was early, he had showered and dressed. He thought about putting his work clothes on but decided he was in no shape to think about paintbrushes or power tools. Although, he did intend to spend some time in the cottage looking for anything that still needed to be done before they invited the regulatory agency to inspect the property. They could not officially advertise the cottage as a holiday home until it had passed the inspection. The bookings they had already made were friends of Meg. One was a friendly ex-girlfriend who worked in advertising. She had offered to help them with their website and listing the cottage on any booking sites. 

He wandered through the lounge and small sitting room to the kitchen. He had not expected to find anyone else up and about. Daniel was sitting at the kitchen table staring out of the window, watching the sparrows on the bird table. 

‘You’re up early,’ said Jamie as he poured himself a glass of cranberry juice. 

Daniel continued to stare at the little birds for a few seconds before twisting in his seat to look at Jamie. 

‘Couldn’t sleep,’ he said. ‘Sammy wanted to sleep on his own last night, I think he’s uncomfortable… and probably thinks he’s disturbing me with his fidgeting… even though he’s not.’

Daniel sighed.

‘And I’m nervous, worried, terrified…’

Jamie shook his head with confusion, ‘about what? It’s not his first pregnancy. It won’t be the first time he’s given birth. It’s not the first time you’ve had children now. I know the pregnancy has been difficult and you’re both still struggling with the loss of the baby but Dan… What are you worrying about?’

‘Last time we were at the hospital. They have all the gadgets and stuff… What if something goes wrong?’

Jamie smiled, ‘it won’t. He will be fine. You will be fine. He’s been looking forward to a home birth ever since he fell pregnant with Henry. Personally, I think it was a bit much to make him have the girls in the hospital.’

‘What do I do?’

Jamie chuckled, ‘yet again, the wise younger Alpha needs to pass his wealth of knowledge onto his elders.’

Daniel finally smiled.

‘Although,’ mused Jamie, ‘I’ve only actually done the home birth thing once myself. Mary and Brian’s birth was the first time for me. It’s all a bit of a blur.’

‘I hadn’t thought of that,’ said Daniel. ‘But I’d still like to defer to your knowledge… oh great one.’

The two Alpha’s chuckled. Jamie pulled out the chair next to Daniel and sat down. They watched the birds all flutter off as one of the kittens made a poor attempt at stalking them. The grey cat sat in the middle of the patio and proceeded to wash herself as though that was her intent all along. 

‘I remember the midwife being amazing. He kept us both calm. Liam was calm anyway; it wasn’t his first time after all but he was reacting to my panic. The nurse told us what to do and when. He talked Liam through the worst of the contractions and urged me to soothe him when necessary.’

Daniel nodded slowly to himself as he took in the information. Jamie could see the tension leave his friend. He knew it would still be tense when the time came but he hoped he had allayed some of his friends' fears.

A~B~O

The minister looked at Meg over her glasses for a few seconds. Meg looked back, trying not to glare. The minister, dressed head to toe in tweed, looked like a stereotypical headmistress or librarian. Meg had never liked the woman, but she was the one Meg needed onside before she could lobby Parliament with the final draught of her proposal.

Minister Howard looked back at the paperwork for a few seconds.

'You've misspelt “necessary”,' she said as she corrected the error. 'Otherwise, I agree with it.'

Meg could not hide the shock. She had expected to be in the meeting with the minister for hours arguing her case. Instead, the woman had pulled out her copy of the proposal, glanced at it for a few seconds and given her blessing.

'Minister Thornton,' said the woman. 

'Meg,' insisted Meg with a nervous smile.

'Meg,' the Minister restarted, 'there are many aspects of your work I do not agree with. But this is sound. We need them to procreate. And if letting them pick their partners means more offspring, then that is the right thing to do. You have accepted there is still a need for some Alpha or Omega to be placed with an established breeding pack but even that can be done more humanely than it is now. This proposal should help to stamp out the abusive packs. We all know that new Alphas going to established packs tend to emulate the lead Alpha. If that Alpha is already abusive the trend will likely continue.'

Meg disliked the way Minister Howard talked about the Alpha and Omega as though they were cattle, but she was making a good point. With Omega able to get to know a potential mate before living with them the chances were higher that they would have more successful pregnancies. The proposals were going to bring them in line with more of the thriving countries around the world.

‘It will be interesting to see how they take to this to begin with. After a few years when the children are used to social contact, the idea of picking a mate will be second nature. At the moment they are still learning to be with other sexes.’

The minister paused and looked at Meg for a few seconds.

‘Didn’t one of your extended family help an Omega through their heat?’

Meg nodded, she hated that they were forced to inform the Omega regulatory agency about the help that Graham had given to Callum. It meant that the liaison was effectively public knowledge. At least most of the ministers seemed to know. Meg was glad the young men did not know they were the topic of conversation around water coolers or in the canteen. 

‘Yes,’ replied Meg, ‘but me trying to push this through is not to help them. Well, it will help them, I know they want to be together. But there must be countless young Omega and Alpha out there who are starting to notice each other and find a mutual attraction.’

Minister Howard nodded with a smile. A genuine one, not the one she used when she was on the television. 

‘And your proposal for an app to list available young Alpha’s to round out the family units is viable as well. That is something we can put out to tender. There is bound to be an existing dating company that would jump at the chance of expanding.’

‘It would have to be a free service,’ pointed out Meg.

‘Oh, yes,’ said the minister, ‘they would make their money through advertising. We must move with the time's Meg.’

The two women nodded. The fast-moving, ever-changing, way that they lived had taken a lot of women by surprise. Even Meg was, on occasion, a little shocked at all that was going on. And she was one of the women who had pushed for the changes in the first place.

Minister Howard leaned back in her chair. Meg wondered what the woman was going to say. 

‘The one thing that does worry me,’ she said, ‘is the prospect of the relationships going sour. We cannot have them chopping and changing if they fall out over the colour of the curtains in the living room. When they agree to form a family, it must be for life.’

Meg nodded. She always hated it when she had to revert to her status as a leader. As a woman. The species needed to survive. And they needed Omega and Alpha of breedable age to mate. No heat could be wasted. During their most fertile years, the Omega needed to be mated. It was the one constant that Meg could not get away from. The one link to the ultra-Conservative countries that they could not break. The fact that Omega could not help themselves and would, if left long enough, beg any Alpha to fuck them went in their favour. But the cruelty of that was distasteful to most women, even the non-progressive ones. 

The stark reality was that if something were to happen to Daniel and Jamie and Sammy went into heat, he would be forced to mate with a rutting Alpha. And Meg would not stop that from happening. She would hate it, but she would not stop it. 

She was a woman, and she was one of the dictators, despite her best efforts to live in a world of equality. Omega needed to be mated and they needed to have babies. 

‘You’ll note I’ve left the possibility for the young men to choose to be placed with an existing family as well,’ said Meg, unable to hide her dislike of that aspect of the proposal. ‘If they cannot find a partner or partners that suit them by the time, they are eighteen they will have no choice but to be placed with a family.’

Minister Howard reached across the desk and lay her hand over Meg’s. Meg was a little surprised at the move. The minister was showing her compassion. Meg had always thought the minister to be a non-progressive through and through.

‘We have to think of the future,’ said the Minister. ‘We have to look at the big picture.’

Meg nodded, ‘I know,’ she said. 

The Minister patted her hand a couple of times before sitting back. 

‘I will persuade enough ministers to see this goes through in the vote,’ she said. ‘And then you can give the good news to those two young men.’

Meg smiled, ‘Callum is due another heat in a couple of months,’ she said. ‘I know he and Graham have become close and it would be heart-breaking to see them go off to different families when they turn eighteen.’

She rose from the table and after shaking hands with the minister left the office. The new laws would not be official for a few weeks but once the vote was taken, she would make sure Graham and Callum were the first to know. 

A~B~O


	2. Chapter 2

_A few days later… ___

__Daniel felt his mate tense up for a few seconds. It was the third time Sammy had tensed and sent off a mild panicked scent._ _

__‘How long have you been having contractions for?’ asked the Alpha._ _

__Sammy did not respond for a few seconds. Daniel wondered if his mate was trying to remember when they had started. Daniel may not have been aware of the first few. He knew the contractions would be small, to begin with. Sammy would have been aware of them, but they would not have caused him more than mild discomfort. The last one had hurt Sammy. But Daniel knew it was a good hurt. A healthy hurt. The pain helped the Omega to focus on his work. The work of giving life._ _

__‘I think they started around two this morning,’ replied Sammy finally. ‘I felt the first one and then fell asleep again, it was a while between them then. But they are closer now. You’ll need to call the midwife. He said he didn’t mind if we were cautious and called him in early.’_ _

__‘Better too soon than too late,’ said Daniel as he pulled his mate a little closer._ _

__They had spent the last couple of nights together. Sammy had wanted the company. Daniel wondered if it made the Omega feel safer when he was so close to his due date. He had been the same for his previous pregnancies. He had been clingy with him or Jamie, sometimes both of them, as he got closer to giving birth._ _

__Sammy twisted around to lie on his back. Daniel smiled at him as he rested his hand on the Omega’s rounded stomach. Sammy looked a little sad._ _

__‘There should be two,’ he said quietly. ‘I want to concentrate on the baby that we’re going to meet today. But I keep thinking about the baby we lost.’_ _

__Daniel blinked a couple of times, trying to stop the threatening tears. They had both found it particularly hard as the time approached when Sammy would go into labour._ _

__‘I know,’ Daniel said sadly, ‘I don’t think there is anything wrong with today being a bittersweet day.’_ _

__‘I wonder if the baby will know they’re missing a twin?’ mused Sammy. ‘Or will they be like Henry?’_ _

__‘Let’s hope they’re not like Henry?’ chuckled Daniel. ‘We don’t want two of them running around the place.’_ _

__Sammy smiled, ‘can you imagine? He’s already made it quite clear he doesn’t want another-’_ _

__Sammy paused mid-sentence as another contraction gripped him. Daniel grasped his mates’ hand as Sammy rode out the pain._ _

__‘I’ll call Leon,’ said Daniel after Sammy nodded that he was through the worst of the pain._ _

__‘Then can you help me have a shower?’_ _

__Daniel smiled, ‘of course. I’ll call Leon then let Jamie know it’s time. You just concentrate on yourself and the baby. I’ll be back in a few minutes.’_ _

__Sammy nodded as he pushed himself up to sit, ‘I need to tidy up a bit,’ he said looking around the already immaculate bedroom._ _

__Daniel did not respond; he knew the need for cleanliness was something all Omega wanted. They wanted everything spotless before they had a heat and they wanted to be in control when they went into labour. Sammy had been denied the chance for his first two labours which had taken place in the sterile, unwelcoming, atmosphere of the maternity unit at the hospital. This would be his first home birth and Daniel was determined his mate would have everything as he wanted. Even if they could not predict exactly what was going to happen when the baby came._ _

__He pulled on his dressing gown and after a fond look at his mate, Daniel slipped out of the room. He was not surprised to find Jamie and Clive hovering a respectable distance from Sammy’s bedroom door. The Alpha and Beta male would both have sensed Sammy’s discomfort._ _

__‘Is he OK?’ asked Jamie._ _

__‘Are you OK?’ asked Clive with a smile._ _

__Daniel nodded and took a deep breath, ‘yeah. We’ll be fine. He… and I am struggling with the fact there’ll only be one. But we’ll be fine. I’m going to call the midwife and then he wants to wash and tidy.’_ _

__Jamie smiled, ‘Liam was like that,’ he said. ‘But if it keeps him calm let him. Just watch him when he has the contractions.’_ _

__Daniel smirked, ‘alright, oh wise one. We’ll be even after today. I’ll know as much about the miracle of birth as you do.’_ _

__‘We’ll try to keep the children away,’ said Clive, ‘although George will want to help.’_ _

__Daniel nodded, ‘Sammy and I have come up with a list of little jobs for him to start with.’_ _

__‘Good,’ said Clive. ‘Now, since you are going to be busy Jamie and I will go and mess up your kitchen whilst we sort out breakfast.’_ _

__He watched Jamie and Clive as they descended the stairs. Clive was still using a walking stick. Jamie was keeping near his friend as they took each step. Daniel knew that they all looked out for each other without realising it. Their tight-knit family worked well._ _

__‘Is Sammy having the baby?’_ _

__Daniel turned to look at the stairs that led to the second floor where the boys had their bedrooms. George was standing on the second to the bottom step. He was still in his pyjamas with his yellow and black striped dressing gown tied neatly at his waist. The little Omega’s hair was pointing up at odd angles._ _

__‘He is having contractions,’ said Daniel. ‘It won’t be for a while yet.’_ _

__George understood what contractions were. The little Omega was already getting sex education at school and the family had spoken to all the boys about Sammy’s pregnancy. The two young Alpha’s were not particularly interested but George was fascinated._ _

__‘Can I sit with him and keep him company?’_ _

__‘Maybe in a little while,’ said Daniel. ‘Perhaps you would like to call the midwife for us?’_ _

__Calling the midwife was the first on the list of little jobs they had thought up for George to do. Leon had told them he was more than happy to take the call from the little boy. Daniel pulled his phone from the pocket of his dressing-gown and found the number for the midwife. He pressed the button and put the call on speakerphone and held it out for George. It rang three times before Leon answered._ _

__‘Leon Campbell, who is calling please?’_ _

__‘Hello, this is George Attwood,’ said George who was speaking very clearly. ‘I am ringing to say that Sammy Wade has gone into labour. Please can you come around to help him?’_ _

__Daniel could hear the chuckle in Leon’s voice as he replied._ _

__‘Is that right George Attwood. I will be over in about thirty minutes. George, do you know if Sammy is feeling alright so far?’_ _

__George looked at Daniel who nodded._ _

__‘Sammy is feeling OK.’_ _

__‘And how far apart are his contractions?’_ _

__Daniel whispered, ‘ten to twelve minutes.’_ _

__George nodded and repeated the information to the midwife._ _

__‘Well George, I think you’ve called me at just the right time. I’ll be there soon. Call me again if anything changes.’_ _

__‘Thank you, mister Campbell,’ said George. ‘Goodbye.’_ _

__‘Goodbye, George.’_ _

__Daniel ended the call and tucked his phone away, ‘why don’t you go and have a shower and get dressed. Then you can have a quick breakfast because you will be busy today helping us. And then, after you’ve cleaned your teeth you can watch out for Mr Campbell to arrive.’_ _

__George nodded along to his instructions before turning and running back up the stairs._ _

__Daniel could not help a smile as he walked back to Sammy’s bedroom._ _

__A~B~O_ _

__Clive watched George as he looked back and forth along the road for the midwife. The Omega knelt on the chair that Henry generally used when he was keeping Meg company in her office. The window at the front of the house was the best place for George to watch from. If it had been a warmer day, they would have let George wait outside._ _

__The Omega had eaten his breakfast before Peter and Henry had even made it downstairs. The two young Alphas were not interested in what was going on. Henry had expressed worry about Sammy but was not excited about the imminent arrival of another sibling. Clive knew the children would not bother Sammy and Daniel. Only George would need to be kept occupied._ _

__'He's here. He's here.'_ _

__George climbed off the chair and hurried to the door. He looked to Clive for permission to open the door. Clive nodded, pleased that the little boy had not forgotten the rule in his excitement._ _

__'Hello, mister Campbell,' said George._ _

__Leon smiled, 'George, I think it's alright for you to call me Leon.'_ _

__George nodded and smiled._ _

__'Are you going to show me the way?'_ _

__George nodded again and turned to the stars. Clive, who had been sitting on the steps, got to his feet. Leon looked towards him._ _

__'As far as we know everything is fine. Let us know if you need anything. And if George gets in the way.'_ _

__'George knows not to get in the way,' said Leon with a wink. 'He can be my messenger if I need one.'_ _

__George positively beamed at the praise, before leading the midwife up the stairs. Clive watched them go. He heard Daniel greeting the midwife and felt Sammy experience another contraction._ _

__All they could do was wait._ _

__Clive found Meg and Jamie in the playroom with the toddlers. Rachel and Isabelle were a little restless. Unlike the males, they could not sense the pain their Omega was experiencing or the mixed emotions coming from their Alpha. Jamie was keeping them distracted._ _

__'Where are the children?' asked Clive._ _

__Meg was standing by the window nursing a mug of coffee, 'I have no idea where they think they are, but it looks fun.'_ _

__She nodded towards the garden. Clive could see Henry, Peter, and Mary playing by the tyre swings. They were running in and out of the trees with their arms out wide as though they were flying._ _

__'At least they're keeping themselves occupied,' said Clive with a smile._ _

__George walked though, he was smiling, 'I got to hold Sammy's hand for his last contraction. I said he could squeeze my hand. He said I helped a lot.'_ _

__Clive could tell Jamie was proud of his son._ _

__'Leon needed to examine Sammy, he's going to need my help again in a bit.'_ _

__George looked out of the window and saw the other children playing. He looked a little indecisive._ _

__'I'm sure it will be alright for you to go and play for a little while,' said Jamie._ _

__'Will you let me know if I'm needed?'_ _

__'Yes.'_ _

__They watched the young Omega scamper off. He appeared in the garden and ran across to join the others._ _

__'He must be excited,' laughed Meg, 'he's not put his jacket on.'_ _

__'I'll take one out to him,' said Clive._ _

__‘Try and find out where they are in their little game,’ said Meg, ‘I’m curious.’_ _

__Clive chuckled as he walked from the room. He grabbed George’s winter coat from the hallway and stepped out onto the patio. George was talking to Mary. He was animatedly telling her something. Mary did not look impressed, but George had not noticed Mary’s expression. The young girl sighed dramatically and said something to George that made him stop talking and stare at his sister. She continued to speak. Whatever she was saying had stunned George into silence. A look of worry replaced the Omega’s excited expression._ _

__The children were standing under the large tree. Henry was sitting in the tyre swing watching. Peter walked up to the pair and stood by his brother. As Clive got a little closer, he heard a little of what Mary was saying._ _

__‘...and the Omega can’t do anything about it. The Alpha holds him down and mates him by force. It hurts the Omega a lot, but the Alpha’s are strong and mean.’_ _

__‘But Jamie and Danny would never hurt Sammy,’ said George meekly._ _

__‘They do, they just don’t tell anyone about it, because Sammy doesn’t have a choice.’_ _

__George looked shocked. Peter, who had been listening, stepped closer to Mary._ _

__‘You’re lying,’ he said, as he placed himself slightly in front of George in a protective manner. ‘Sammy and Jamie and Danny have talked to us about mating.’_ _

__‘They’re the ones that are lying.’_ _

__Clive was about to say something but did not get the chance. Mary pushed Peter back a pace; George tried to stop his brother from stumbling. Mary took a step forward to push Peter again, but George got in the way as he tried to stop her. The peaceful Omega would usually shy away from any confrontation, but Mary was trying to push his twin. The bond between them was strong, each boy would watch out for the other. Mary ended up pushing George who was smaller than Peter and unable to prevent himself from stumbling backwards towards the large tree._ _

__The Omega howled in pain as he crashed to the ground falling over one of the roots that had pushed above the surface. George twisted onto his side and tried to move further away. Clive could feel the pain and fear coming from the little Omega. He was not surprised to hear hurried steps as Jamie ran out to them._ _

__‘George?’_ _

__George was crying in pain, tears streaming down his face. Jamie knelt beside his son and reached out to him. George was holding his right arm across his body; his shoulders were pulled forward as he hugged himself. He was looking in Mary's direction with a cowed expression._ _

__‘Mary,’ said Jamie sternly, ‘go back to the house. I’ll talk to you in a minute.’_ _

__Mary did not move for a few seconds before she turned and ran off. Clive could tell she was crying. She would not have meant to cause her brother harm, but Jamie could not deal with her at that moment. Not when his son was hurt._ _

__‘George, let me see your arm.’_ _

__‘I’m sorry,’ sobbed the little Omega._ _

__‘You haven’t done anything wrong, George,’ soothed Jamie._ _

__Jamie eased George’s right arm away from his body. The side of George’s forearm was covered in grazes and cuts. Bruises were forming along with angry red marks. The grazes were deep and one of the cuts was bleeding._ _

__‘Can you move your hand?’ asked Jamie. ‘Turn your hand over and open and close your fingers.’_ _

__George did as he was asked between shuddering sobs. Peter knelt beside his brother and put his arm around him._ _

__‘I didn’t mean to fall over,’ said George._ _

__‘Mary pushed you over,’ said Jamie. ‘It was not your fault.’_ _

__‘She was lying and saying that you and Danny are horrible to Sammy when you mate,’ said Peter, who looked angry._ _

__Jamie glanced up at Clive who nodded, ‘I didn’t hear all that she was saying but that’s about the gist of it.’_ _

__‘I was telling her about what I’d been doing. How I was helping Sammy,’ said George quietly._ _

__‘She said that you all pretend to like each other but really Sammy’s scared of you,’ continued Peter. ‘But she’s lying. She can’t feel things like we can. We know you and Danny love Sammy.’_ _

__‘We do,’ said Jamie. ‘Once I’ve taken care of you, George, I’ll be having a word with Mary.’_ _

__George looked up sharply, ‘you’re not going to make her go back to the home, are you? You don’t have to make her go away.’_ _

__Clive could not help a smile. Little George did not want anything bad to happen to his sister despite her being the cause of his injury._ _

__‘She won’t have to go back to the home,’ reassured Jamie._ _

__‘What do you need for George’s arm?’ asked Clive._ _

__Jamie glanced up and shook his head, ‘some of these cuts are quite deep. I think this needs to be looked at by a doctor.’_ _

__George gasped in shock._ _

__‘It’s alright George, I’ll be with you. But you need to go to the hospital so that this can be looked at properly.’_ _

__George was shivering with fear._ _

__‘If you’d remembered your coat this wouldn’t be as bad,’ said Jamie with a smile, ‘but you were so excited you ran out here without it.’_ _

__George sniffed a few times and muttered another apology. Jamie shook his head with a fond smile. He looked up at the house, towards Sammy’s bedroom._ _

__‘I doubt they’ll have felt it if Sammy’s getting close. If you want to stay here, Meg and I could take George.’_ _

__‘No,’ said Jamie with a shake of his head. ‘I’m taking him. You can call me if anything happens. But it won’t, Sammy will be fine.’_ _

__Clive could tell Jamie was a little torn between his mate and his son's needs. But his mate was in good hands and little George would be calmer if he had a parent with him. The scared little boy was still shivering and crying._ _

__‘We’ll put a bandage on your arm for now,’ said Jamie, ‘can you be a brave boy for me?’_ _

__George managed a nod._ _

__‘Good. Clive, can you find Mary and set her something to do? She’s going to tie herself up in knots. Make sure she knows she won’t have to go back to the home.’_ _

__Clive nodded; it had not taken long for the threat of being sent back to the home to become the children's primary method to wind each other up. All the adults had told them that they would never be sent back to the homes but that had not stopped them saying it to each other when they were annoyed about something._ _

__Jamie scooped his son up and carried him back to the house. Peter and Henry followed. Clive saw Peter take Henry’s hand as they walked, a sign of solidarity between the brothers._ _

__A~B~O_ _


	3. Chapter 3

Daniel kissed the top of Sammy’s head as he settled his breathing. The contractions were close enough that the Omega barely had time to recover from one before the next gripped him. Leon had told them it was time for Sammy to start to push and that the baby was in a perfect position. There was no reason the birth would not be a smooth one. 

Everything was in place, the cot was ready, a large bowl with warm water had been set up on the chest of drawers with a soft fluffy towel ready to wash and dry the new arrival. 

Daniel found himself to be unusually calm. Sammy was calm as well. He was still tensing up for each contraction, but the fear had gone. His mate had become quite serene in his labour. Leon was giving them the odd instruction but generally leaving Sammy to contend with the contractions as he saw fit. Daniel was proud of his mate. They had both been a little distracted by the thought of their lost baby before the surviving twin decided they wanted the attention to themself. Daniel was happy to give it. He knew he would not forget that there should have been two babies being born that day but the one that was soon to arrive deserved all their attention at that moment. 

‘This is a big one,’ breathed Sammy as he tensed up.

‘Push with it, Sammy. Use the pain,’ urged Daniel.

Leon smiled, ‘you trying to take my job, Dan?’

‘Sorry,’ said Daniel with a smile of his own as he felt Sammy gripping his hand tightly. 

‘Good Sammy,’ praised Leon. ‘Shouldn’t be long now, maybe two or three contractions.’

Daniel used his free hand to grab one of the damp flannels on the side table and dabbed it on his mate's forehead and face.

‘Thank you,’ said Sammy between panted breaths. 

‘Push Sammy,’ said Leon as another contraction gripped the Omega. 

Sammy screwed his eyes shut and moaned through gritted teeth as he pushed. Daniel wished he could take the pain away from his mate, wished he could do more than simply hold his hand. 

‘You’re doing very well, Sammy,’ Leon said, ‘one more.’

Sammy took a few breaths before he began to push again. Daniel could feel his mates’ pain, but also a determination to get the job done. The feelings abruptly stopped, and Sammy wilted in Daniel’s arms.

‘Sammy?’

‘Has he passed out?’ asked Leon who was busy with something.

‘Yes…’ replied Daniel distractedly. ‘Sammy?’

Sammy remained still and unresponsive. 

‘It’s not uncommon for an Omega to pass out after giving birth,’ said Leon as he lifted the tiny baby in his hands.

The baby was making little disgruntled noises and had their eyes screwed shut. Daniel had to admit the tiny creature did not look pretty. But the twin girls had looked much the same, rather grumpy for a while after they were born.

‘Is he breathing steadily?’ asked Leon as he wrapped the baby up in a soft green blanket.

Daniel rested his hand on Sammy’s chest and felt the rise and fall for a few seconds. He nodded to Leon. 

‘I’ll clean this little one up. Sammy will probably wake up in a couple of minutes and then you can both meet your son properly.’

‘A boy?’

Leon nodded. Daniel smiled. 

He watched the midwife carry the precious bundle to the bowl and begin to gently wash the baby. Daniel shifted slightly so that he could straighten his mate’s legs and ease him into a more comfortable position. He pulled the thin duvet over Sammy before wrapping one arm around him and holding him close.

Sammy mumbled and opened his eyes. He blinked a couple of times before smiling as he spotted Leon busy gently drying the baby and wrapping him in the towel.

‘You have another son,’ said Daniel quietly.

Sammy smiled before replying, ‘you have your first son.’

Leon handed the swaddled baby to Sammy who looked at the baby contentedly.

‘Do you have a name yet?’ asked Leon. ‘No rush if you haven’t.’

‘There were a few we were thinking of,’ said Daniel, ‘but we wanted to meet him first before we decided.’

‘I’ll give you a few minutes,’ said Leon, ‘then I’ll check you’re OK Sammy. The birth was a textbook one so there shouldn’t be any problems.’

Leon slipped out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. 

‘Well done,’ said Daniel, unable to hide his pride. 

‘You helped,’ said Sammy, who sounded tired now that the hard work was over. 

They looked at their son. Daniel wondered what the boy would be like as he grew up. He wondered what sex he would present as and what kind of life he would lead. And Daniel wondered what the baby's sibling would have been like and what kind of life they would have led. But some questions would never be answered. 

A~B~O

Jamie kept hold of George who was still crying and shaking. The little boy had not said much since they left the house. He had allowed Jamie to buckle his seatbelt and leaned into his parent Alpha a little as Meg put the car in gear and pulled out of the driveway.

'I won't come in,' said Meg. 'If the doctors that dealt with Clive are working, I don't want their dislike of me to affect their treatment of George.'

Jamie nodded his understanding, 'if there's a long wait I'll let you know. We can get the train back and you can pick us up from the station.'

Meg pulled into the side of the road near the hospital.

'I'll park in the supermarket car park. Let me know what's happening.'

Jamie chuckled, 'I don't blame you. The tariff here's ridiculous.'

George sniffed and asked, 'what's a tariff?'

'The cost of the car park. It's very expensive. But since Meg's going to wait with the car, we can save the money.'

George looked down and muttered another apology. Jamie glanced at Meg who smiled sadly. George thought that everything was his fault. He unbuckled his son’s seatbelt and stepped out of the car. Meg bid them goodbye and pulled away. 

Jamie looked down at George who was standing close to him. His injured arm was tucked in a makeshift sling and hidden under his winter coat. His eyes were wide as he looked around the busy hospital entranceway.

‘Let’s get you sorted out?’ said Jamie with a smile.

George trotted alongside Jamie as they walked towards the emergency departments walk-in clinic. The doors automatically opened as they approached. The state-of-the-art facility would cater to all comers, even Beta males. Although they all knew that the care a Beta male would be given was vastly different to the care a woman would get. George, as a young Omega, yet to reach his fertile years, would not be top of the list for priority but he would be seen and dealt with.

They reached a reception desk that stretched several meters wide. Corridors led away on both sides of the desk. One corridor led towards the emergency department and the other to the walk-in clinic. Jamie did not like to think about his last visit to the accident and emergency department. He hoped their current visit would not be as traumatic.

‘What have you been up to then?’ asked a kindly older Omega who was working behind the reception desk. 

He had spoken directly to George who seemed quite taken aback at being addressed. But the polite Omega managed to respond after sniffing a couple of times.

‘I fell over,’ he said in a small voice.

The receptionist pulled a couple of tissues from a box on the desk and handed them to George who wiped his eyes and nose one-handed.

‘He’s got grazes and cuts along his right forearm,’ said Jamie. ‘We wanted to be sure they were all cleaned properly and the deepest one might need a bit more than we can do at home.’

Jamie did not want to say the word ‘stitches’ in front of his son, the little boy was scared enough as it was.

‘We’ve put a temporary bandage on his arm. He’s not eaten for a few hours and hasn’t had anything to drink since the accident.’

The receptionist smiled, ‘not your first time in a hospital, is it?’

Jamie shook his head. 

‘Do you have your ID codes?’

Jamie nodded. He let go of George’s hand as he pulled his phone from his pocket. George grabbed a fistful of Jamie’s jacket instead. Jamie guessed his son wanted the reassurance of the contact. He scanned the ID codes for the receptionist who nodded his thanks as their details appeared on his computer. 

‘I’ll check George in,’ he said. ‘If you have a seat in the green area along the corridor, the triage nurse will have a look and then we’ll work out what needs to be done.’

Jamie nodded as he took his son's hand again. They walked along the corridor. A couple of doctors walked past. Jamie felt annoyed at the way the women did not bother to hide the fact that they found him attractive. One made a lewd comment as she passed, and he was sure they both turned to look at him before continuing along the corridor. It would have been bad enough to be objectified if he had been on his own, but he was with his scared son. He was glad George had not heard what the doctor said.

‘Is this the green section?’ asked George as they reached a set of light green plastic chairs set out in a couple of rows.

There was no one else waiting. A few posters on the walls showed basic first aid instructions and listed rules for the hospital. 

‘I think it must be, George,’ said Jamie as they approached the chairs. 

They had barely sat down before a nurse approached them, he looked at his pad for a few seconds before looking up and smiling.

‘George Attwood?’

George leaned into Jamie with a little gasp of worry. Jamie put his arm around him being careful not to knock his injured arm. 

‘It’s alright George,’ soothed Jamie.

‘Have you been in the wars?’

George frowned, not understanding, ‘I don’t play war. My brothers play war, but I don’t like it.’

The Omega nurse crouched in front of George.

‘You don’t need to be scared, George. Your Alpha will be with you all the time. We just need to go over to that bed there so that I can have a look at your arm. Is that alright?’

George glanced up at Jamie who nodded. George looked at the nurse and nodded once before pushing himself up to stand. Jamie took his hand again and followed the nurse over to the curtained-off cubicle. The nurse patted the bed. Jamie lifted his son onto the bed and sat him on the edge. 

‘You can sit next to him Mister Attwood,’ said the nurse. ‘I’m Staff Nurse Turner, but my friend’s call me Bill.’

George looked at the nurse without saying anything. Jamie settled on the bed next to George and put his arm around him again.

‘Perhaps you would like to call me Bill as well?’ said Nurse Turner.

‘Thank you,’ said George quietly.

‘Will you let me look at your arm?’

George nodded and shrugged his coat off his shoulders. Jamie slipped the scarf they had used as a sling off George’s shoulder and supported the injured arm so that the nurse could cut the bandage off. George hissed a few times as the fabric of the bandage caught on the dried blood. The worst of the cuts had stopped bleeding but looked painful. 

‘That is impressive, George,’ said Bill. ‘But it looks worse than it is. I’ll ask one of the consultants to have a look, but I think it’s just going to need a good clean and a couple of dressings.’

Jamie sighed with relief at the nurse’s words. George had tensed up a bit. Bill slipped out of the cubicle, pulling a light green curtain around them. 

‘You’re being very brave, George,’ said Jamie as he gave his son a reassuring squeeze. 

George did not respond, he was still shaking and sniffing occasionally. 

‘When we go home, shall we stop by the fish and chip shop?’

Jamie hoped the prospect of returning home in the not-too-distant future would help to keep his son calm. George looked up at him and nodded. Jamie could see tears on his son's eyelashes, he wished he could take the fear and pain away.

They both jumped when the curtain was pushed back with force and an older woman stepped into the cubicle. She was wearing black trousers with a pale blue shirt under a stark white coat. She glared at Jamie who felt obliged to get off the bed. George had recoiled from the newcomer. The kind nurse was hovering behind the consultant. He glanced at Jamie apologetically.

‘Let me see your arm, young man,’ said the woman. 

George, whose shakes had only got worse in the few seconds since the woman arrived, held out his right arm. The doctor reached out and manipulated George’s arm so that she could see the injuries. She was not rough with the Omega but was a little firmer than she needed to be. George looked at her meekly.

The woman tutted a couple of times.

‘Has he retained full movement?’

It took Jamie a couple of seconds to realise the consultant was talking to him.

‘Yes. I got him to move all his fingers and bend all his joints.’

‘And this was caused by a fall? Are you looking after your child? If he can fall and hurt himself perhaps you are not a fit parent? Should I be contacting the authorities?’

Jamie felt his heart racing at the insinuation behind the statement. He shook his head. He had not wanted to explain exactly what had happened; he had expected the woman not to care.

‘He was pushed over by his sister,’ he said. 

The doctor paused his examination of the worst of the grazes and looked at Jamie. She raised one eyebrow.

‘Did his sister have good cause to push him?’

Jamie was not sure what the correct answer would be, he decided to tell the woman the truth. 

‘Our Omega is in labour. George is excited to help with the new baby. Mary, my daughter, was getting a bit annoyed with his enthusiasm and said some mean things about… about mating… she told some lies… George’s brother tried to remonstrate, and George tried to stop the pair. Mary shoved him and he tripped over. It was an accident.’

The doctor smirked, ‘I’m sure your daughter was not telling lies. Perhaps your sons did not want to hear the truth.’

Jamie did not respond. He knew he had to remain calm. He knew the woman had the power to have him removed if she wanted. She could say she felt threatened. Jamie was not going to give her the satisfaction. He was going to leave George with no one to look after him.

The smirk still on her face, the doctor looked towards Nurse Turner who took a step forward, ‘clean and dress the wounds. A couple of steri-strips on the worst of the cuts and some ointment for the bruising.’

‘Yes doctor,’ said Bill before moving off to collect what he would need. 

‘He will be fine,’ said the consultant as she returned her attention to Jamie. ‘Keep him calm for a couple of days. Keep the injuries clean.’

Without another look at George the woman stepped out of the cubicle, she did not bother to close the curtain fully. Jamie could see her cross to another cubicle and step inside. Jamie moved back to George’s side, he hopped back on the bed and went back to cuddling his son. 

‘I didn’t like the doctor lady,’ George whispered.

‘Neither did I,’ agreed Jamie.

A~B~O


	4. Chapter 4

Nurse Turner returned to the cubicle. He had a tray with dressings, tweezers, and ointment. He looked at Jamie and George. 

'I'm really sorry,' Bill said. 'I thought one of the friendly student doctors was working. The senior consultant is a right battleaxe.'

Jamie smiled, 'I'm used to it. Although George hasn't had much exposure to women like her yet.'

George was looking at the tray Bill had brought with him. He glanced up.

'Is it going to hurt?' he asked with apprehension.

'I hope not. It might sting when I use the antiseptic.'

Jamie smiled, 'you're always brave when we have to use that at home.'

George nodded. He pushed away from Jamie a little and held out his right arm. Bill took his cue and reached for some cotton wool. The nurse began to clean the assortment of cuts and grazes.

'Do you know why we do this?'

'To stop a…’ George paused for a moment as he thought of the word, ‘infection.'

Bill nodded, 'that's right. An infection would be a lot worse. You could be very poorly.'

'I've helped to look after people who've been hurt,' said George, a little confidence creeping back into his voice.

Bill continued to clean George's arm as he replied, 'who have you looked after?'

George glanced at Jamie who nodded.

'Jamie got pushed by a horrible lady. He had some black bruises and a concussion.'

Bill looked up; Jamie nodded with a sigh. The incident was not one he liked to recall. But he had to agree that George had done all he was allowed to at the time to help him.

'And when Clive broke his leg… I help him with his exercises.'

'You don't let him forget to do them, do you?' said Jamie, unable to hide his pride.

George shook his head.

'And Sammy lets me help with the babies. I like helping with the babies the most.'

George gasped and looked at Jamie.

'Will the new baby be there when we get back?'

Jamie nodded, 'quite probably.'

George looked a little upset to have missed the arrival. They had wanted to keep the little Omega busy, but this was not what they had in mind. 

Bill was putting a couple of small dressings on the worst of the cuts. 

'Do you like looking after babies?' the nurse asked.

George nodded enthusiastically.

'I'd like to be a midwife,’ he said.

'I think there are some booklets for children about careers in the medical profession,' said Bill. 'You might need some help reading them. I think they're for children a little older than you.'

George smiled.

'Mary can help you,' said Jamie, 'she was upset about what she did. I'm sure she'd like to make it up to you.'

Jamie felt a small wave of worry pass over George, but he nodded, nonetheless.

'I'll get them for you,' said Bill. 'Right. Keep it clean and dry for a couple of days. Use the ointment as the bruises come out.' 

'We've got dressings and antiseptic at home,' assured Jamie.

Bill looked at George, 'well done. Wait there whilst I get those booklets.'

After tidying the tray of equipment, the nurse slipped from the cubicle, leaving the light green curtain half-open.

Jamie pulled out his phone and texted Meg. He also texted Clive to tell him they would pick up food on the way home. He doubted Daniel would be interested in cooking them all a big meal whilst Sammy was in labour. And if the baby had arrived Daniel was probably going to be preoccupied with his new son or daughter. 

A sharp sense of anxiety filled the air. Jamie looked at George who had reacted as well. Jamie was not surprised they could sense other males being treated but there was something about the scent he had felt. Something about it he recognised. 

The curtain to the cubicle on the other side of the large room was pushed open. The same officious consultant stepped out that had seen George.

‘Try not to be too rough with him for the next few days,’ she said to someone in the cubicle. ‘That needs time to heal before his next heat.’

The doctor walked away with a shake of her head. Jamie felt drawn to the other cubicle. He slipped off the bed and took a step forward so that he could see across the room. He could see a tall man, an Alpha, standing by the bed. He was leaning forward over whoever was lying on the bed and speaking firmly and urgently. The anxiety was coming from the patient in the cubicle. 

‘I’ll be back in a minute, get your shit together. They’ve said you can go.’

The Alpha walked away. Jamie watched him go, he felt sorry for whoever the patient was. He was sure they did not deserve to be talked to in such a way. He looked back towards the cubicle and could not help a gasp. The man lying in the bed was staring back at him. The man smiled. But the smile was not what drew Jamie’s attention. The man had a dressing on his temple and obvious darkening bruises on one side of his face. Blood was splattered across his yellow shirt. Jamie was shocked to see the injuries on the man. On the Omega that he knew. The Omega that he knew intimately. 

Thomas said a quiet hello and continued to smile. 

Jamie glanced at George who was watching curiously.

‘I’ll just be over here,’ said Jamie, ‘I won’t go out of sight.’

George nodded and leaned forward a little so that he could keep his Alpha in sight. 

Jamie turned back to Thomas. He thought about how he had helped the young Omega through his first heat when he had been called for Alpha duty. He thought about the stunning revelation a few months before that Thomas was Michael’s son. And now Jamie had bumped into the young man again. Although in unfortunate circumstances. 

‘Thomas,’ said Jamie. ‘How are you? No… that’s not the right question for here. What happened?’

Thomas’ smile faltered for a second before he responded, ‘I walked into a door,’ he said. ‘I know that sounds cliched. But that’s what happened. It really is.’

‘Was that your Alpha?’

The smile fell away completely for a few seconds before Thomas managed to chuckle. The laugh sounded forced. 

‘He is quite loud,’ Thomas said. ‘And a bit overbearing. I think he’s the sort that could annoy people easily. But we don’t mind him… We don’t have much choice.’

‘We?’

‘Me and Mark, the second family Alpha,’ explained Thomas. ‘Vic’s a big man. He fills every room.’

Jamie nodded slowly, ‘but you’re OK?’

Thomas nodded; the smile looked genuine if a little pained.

‘Why are you here?’ asked Thomas. 

Jamie took a step back and pushed the cubicle curtain open to reveal George sitting on the bed. George held up his arm.

‘I fell over.’

Jamie did not correct his son. If George wanted to play down how he was injured Jamie was not going to stop him. The little Omega never liked to see people getting told off or doing anything that might get them in trouble. 

‘I guess we’ve both had clumsy days,’ said Thomas with another genuine smile. 

‘Who are you? Get away from Tommy.’

The Alpha had returned. He was taller than Jamie by a couple of inches and broader. Jamie suspected he had a physical job that helped to keep him fit. 

Jamie took a couple of steps back. He put himself in front of George protectively. The big Alpha walked right up to him and stood in front of him, squaring up to him. 

‘Vic, it’s OK,’ Thomas was saying from behind them. ‘I know Jamie… he… he is the Alpha that replaced Michael. I’ve met him a… a couple of times… he was only saying hello.’

Vic stared at Jamie for several seconds before taking a step back. Both men were acutely aware of a couple of security guards that had appeared at the end of the corridor. Jamie was sure the other Alpha did not want to be on the receiving end of a taser shot. 

‘I’m sorry,’ said Jamie as Vic moved closer to Thomas. ‘I recognised Thomas. I shouldn’t have spoken to him without you here.’

Vic narrowed his eyes at Jamie before stepping fully into the cubicle. He grabbed the curtain and pulled it closed. Jamie could hear the overbearing Alpha speaking to Thomas. The man did not sound aggressive, more concerned. Jamie sighed as he realised, he had probably worried the Alpha. Jamie was only a couple of days post rut. He was still buff and probably throwing off aggressive scents without realising it, particularly as he was worried about his son. He hoped he had not caused any issues for Thomas. 

He turned back to George, who was leaning back a little, the worry obvious on his face. 

‘Sorry George,’ said Jamie. ‘You’ll come to get used to being protected by your Alpha when you're old enough to be in a family.’

‘The way you and Danny are protective of Sammy… and me?’

Jamie smiled, ‘we can’t help it. I think Thomas’ Alpha wanted to keep him safe.’

George nodded his understanding, but the worry did not dissipate. 

‘Is everything OK?’ asked the nurse who had walked back along the corridor as the security guards retreated. 

‘Yes,’ said Jamie. ‘Nothing to worry about. And if George has been discharged there won’t be any more problems.’

Bill nodded, ‘yes, George is all set to go. This is a prescription for some mild painkillers in case he needs them. He might be in pain in the morning when he’s not been able to keep moving.’ The nurse turned to George, ‘you will probably feel uncomfortable as the bruises get worse.’

George nodded.

‘And this is another tub of the ointment for the bruises. I know you said you had some, but I suspect you’ll need some more.’

He handed the prescription and the ointment to Jamie who pushed them into his pocket. Bill turned to George and held out a couple of slim booklets. 

‘There’s one about nursing in general and I found one about midwifery as well. And there are some websites that you can visit.’

George’s eyes lit up as he took the two booklets in his left hand.

‘Thank you, Bill,’ he said.

Jamie helped his son off the bed and helped him ease his injured arm into his coat. He glanced at the cubicle where he could hear Thomas and Vic talking quietly. The anxiety coming from Thomas had dissipated. Jamie wondered if he was the cause of the worry. Perhaps Thomas had not recognised him initially and thought there was a rutting Alpha nearby. He tried to put the incident to the back of his mind and concentrate on his son. 

They walked hand in hand back along the corridor. Jamie wondered if, when they returned home, they would be able to meet the newest member of the family. It would be the perfect distraction for George. 

A~B~O

Sammy cradled the baby in his arms as he slept. The baby had fed well, with no issues. Leon had told them again the birth was a textbook one. Sammy had been cleared as fit and once the baby had fed the midwife began to pack up his equipment. 

Daniel was lying on the bed next to Sammy, one arm wrapped around him. The Alpha’s free hand was resting on the baby, one finger stroking across the baby’s little hand. Sammy could feel the sadness coming from Daniel. His Alpha was no doubt thinking about their lost twin. 

‘I’ve booked you in with the district nurse,’ Leon said over his shoulder as he slipped the scales into their case and zipped it up. ‘They’ll get in touch to sort out a time to come over in a week. But you know the drill. Any problems call the helpline, and someone will come sooner.’

‘Thank you, Leon,’ said Daniel quietly. ‘You did a good job.’

‘Oh, I don’t do anything,’ said Leon, ‘Sammy did all the work and you supported him. It’s a team effort.’

The midwife sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the baby. He smiled at the parents. 

‘It’s weird,’ he said. ‘For years I’d helped with deliveries and seen contented Omega holding their babies. And we would all know that it was going to end. That those babies were going to be ripped away… And now… Now I can look at the three of you and know that you will get to stay together.’

‘Have you got children?’ asked Sammy.

Leon was probably the same age as Liam, he was probably no longer fertile. The midwife nodded.

‘And grand-children now,’ he said with a chuckle. ‘Something I don’t think any of us ever really thought about. One of my children was due to be placed with a family a few weeks after the repatriation bill was announced. I got to meet him and kept in touch. He’s an Alpha and he managed to get his Omega pregnant on their first heat together.’

Sammy thought about becoming a grandparent. He looked at the little baby boy in his arms, wondering if he would have children. He thought of Henry being grown up and going to a family as their Alpha.

‘The next few years are going to be strange… and exciting,’ said Sammy.

‘That they are,’ agreed Leon as he stood up. ‘I’ll see myself out.’

Daniel looked up from the baby, ‘I wonder what happened to George. I’m surprised he’s not been back to help yet.’

‘If I see him on the way out, I’ll tell him to wait until he’s invited in. But he’s a good lad, he’ll wait until you are ready for him.’

‘Thank you,’ said Sammy. 

They watched Leon leave the room, he paused to close the door behind him. 

‘You OK?’ Sammy asked with a glance at Daniel.

Daniel nodded sadly, ‘I can’t help thinking about the other baby. There should be two.’

Sammy nodded, ‘I know. But we said we’d concentrate on this one for now. We’ll never forget our little lost baby though.’

Daniel kissed his head and held him tighter for a few seconds.

‘Was this better?’

Sammy frowned and looked at his Alpha. 

‘The home birth?’

Sammy smiled, ‘oh yes. I was a little apprehensive, but I’m in my room. In my own home. I have my family nearby. My baby is safe in my arms. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.’

A light knock at the door made them both smile.

‘Come in,’ called Daniel. 

Clive peered around the door, he smiled, ‘Leon said you’d let us know when you were ready, but I couldn’t resist. And I need to update you on what’s happened.’

Sammy pushed himself up to sit a little straighter, the baby did not stir.

‘What’s gone on? Where's George got to?’

Clive ventured further into the room. He paused to look at the baby for a few seconds before straightening up. He explained that there had been an altercation between Mary and George and the little Omega was hurt.

‘Poor George is he alright?’ asked Sammy, unable to hide his worry.

Clive nodded, ‘Jamie and Meg took him to A and E. We wanted to be sure the cuts were dealt with properly. Some of them looked quite deep. Jamie texted to say they were finished and that he was going to pick up some fish and chips on the way home.’

‘That explains why he’s not been hovering on the landing the entire time,’ said Daniel. ‘What about Mary, where is she?’

‘Mary is beside herself with guilt. I’ve tried to tell her that George is fine. She’s worried she’ll be sent back to the home and Jamie’s not here to be with her. But she’s calmed down a bit now she knows George is fine. Peter’s been scowling at her. I had to send Peter and Henry to the playroom and keep Mary in the kitchen.’

Sammy chuckled, ‘I think we had the easy job today,’ he said with a nod towards the sleeping baby.

The sound of voices downstairs alerted them to the return of the rest of the family. 

‘I guess they’re back,’ he said. ‘Are you up for some more visitors?’

Sammy nodded, ‘I doubt you’d be able to keep George away.’

A~B~O

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We first met Thomas in 'Alpha Duty' in 'The Greater Good-Part One', although we did not know who he was then and in this series in 'Entwined Lives'.


	5. Chapter 5

Jamie followed George up the stairs. After a brief visit to the playroom to see Peter and Henry, George had been keen to see the new arrival. 

The door to Sammy's bedroom was open. George paused in the doorway. Jamie caught up with him and looked in. 

Sammy was in bed; Daniel was standing by the window with his back to them. The tall Alpha was swaying slightly, rocking the tiny baby in his arms. Jamie could feel the pride coming from Daniel as he talked quietly to his child.

Jamie had almost forgotten what it felt like to hold a baby in the way Daniel was. When Henry had been born there had been doctors and nurses pushing Jamie out of the way. There had been an urgency to care for Sammy, who had become ill. Before that... Jamie shuddered at the memory of watching Liam being led away and not restored to them. Jamie realised he had not had the joy of watching his children being born since Mary and Brian's birth and he could barely remember that.

He pushed the painful recollections away. He would admit to being jealous but in a good way. He was pleased for Daniel; his friend had suffered years of anxious failure to procreate and now he had three children. Jamie hoped the fact it should have been four was not playing on the parent's minds too much.

The Alpha was broken from his thoughts by Sammy saying they could come in.

George tentatively walked a few steps forward. Daniel turned from the window; his expression matched the scents he was throwing off.

'Would you like to meet our son?' said Daniel as he crouched down so that George could see the baby.

Jamie smiled, 'congratulations,' he said.

Sammy was beaming. He had a positive glow about him. Parenthood suited the Omega. 

George approached Daniel and the baby. He stopped and stared. 

'He's small,' George said quietly. 

The young Omega continued to stare at the baby in awe. He reached out with his left hand and touched the baby's arm. He smiled.

'He's lovely.'

'Would you like to hold him?' asked Daniel.

George took a step back and looked at Daniel, his expression shocked.

'Am I allowed?'

'Of course,' said Sammy. 'But only when one of us says you can.'

George nodded, taking the instruction seriously.

'Come and sit on the bed next to me,' said Sammy as he patted the space where Daniel had probably been sitting.

George hurried to the edge of the bed, he paused. He had been about to use his right arm to steady himself. He looked a little lost, unsure how to deal with the small task of climbing onto the bed. Jamie went to his son's rescue. He helped to steady the Omega as he climbed up. Sammy looked at the dressings on George's arm. 

'Does it hurt?' asked Sammy. 

George shook his head, 'not much.'

They all know George would suffer later. Jamie hoped his time with the baby would give him something pleasant to think about.

Once the young Omega was settled, Daniel lay the baby in his arms. George looked at the infant with wide-eyed amazement. The adults glanced at each other exchanging smiles.

'What's his name?' asked George.

'Tobias,' said Daniel. 'Toby for short.'

Jamie nodded his approval.

'Hello Toby,' said George. 'I'm your brother. Not your real brother, but I'll be like a brother. I'm going to help look after you.'

The baby made a little noise and slightly moved his arm. George smiled.

‘I think Toby approves,’ said Daniel. ‘Sammy is going to need help with Toby and the girls. You are going to be a busy little helper.’

George frowned, ‘but I can’t do lots until my arm is better.’

Sammy put his arm around the upset Omega and pulled him and Toby a little closer, ‘that’s OK George. Toby will mainly need my help to start with. And when your arm is better you can help more. But you must be careful to let your arm get better.’

George nodded.

‘Why don’t we leave Toby with Sammy and Daniel,’ said Jamie. ‘Sammy is probably tired. And I suspect Mary would like to talk to you.’

George looked a little worried but nodded. After Sammy had taken the baby, George slipped off the bed and wandered towards the door. 

‘I’ll catch you up in a minute George,’ said Jamie, ‘I just need to talk to Sammy and Danny for a minute.’

As George closed the door Jamie turned back to find Daniel and Sammy looking at him curiously.

‘We saw Thomas at the hospital,’ he said.

‘Was he alright?’ asked Sammy with concern.

Jamie sighed and shook his head, ‘he said he’d walked into a door. He had a nasty cut to his head and bruises. But it was his Alpha… Vic, that worried me.’

‘In what way?’ asked Daniel.

‘He was terse when he spoke to Thomas and Thomas seemed… a bit scared of him. I don’t know, maybe I’m reading too much into it. Some of the things he said… it just seemed wrong.’

‘Poor Thomas,’ said Sammy, ‘what was his Alpha like?’

‘Taller than me. He was a big man…’

‘What?’ asked Daniel when Jamie trailed off. 

‘I may have made it worse.’

‘How?’

‘I spoke to Thomas when Vic had gone away. Thomas was friendly and played the injury he had down. But when Vic came back, he squared up to me… I’m fresh out of my rut. He probably saw me as a threat and when Thomas said that he knew me Vic looked angry.’

‘You didn’t tell him you were the first Alpha Thomas shared a heat with, did you?’ asked Daniel with concern. 

Jamie shook his head, ‘no. I hate to imagine how he would have reacted to that.’

Daniel said, ‘you have to remember that not all families are as harmonious as ours. It sounds like Vic is being protective. Maybe possessive of Thomas. I know Michael has not heard much from Thomas since he was placed with the family. Some families are more guarded around their Omega.’

‘I have to remind myself how lucky I am,’ said Sammy as he rocked Toby. ‘As long as Thomas is being looked after, and it sounds like he is, even if it isn’t as harmonious an environment that we live in… Jamie… it’s not our business.’

Jamie looked down and shook his head, ‘am I reading too much into it?’

Daniel nodded, ‘I think so. We both know how… feral... we can become if our family is threatened. We’d die for them. Thomas’ Alpha probably saw you as a threat and wanted you to back off. And for all, we know Thomas did walk into a door. Perhaps Vic was upset and worried about Thomas but he’s not very good at expressing it and came across a little aggressive with him.’

Jamie was unconvinced but was ready to admit that what Daniel said was true. He may have made the situation worse; he hoped he had not. 

A~B~O

Jamie turned his attention from one potentially jealous Alpha to another. 

Henry.

As he left Sammy and Daniel with their baby, Sammy asked him to see how Henry was. They knew the little Alpha was struggling with the concept of another sibling who would be taking Sammy’s attention away.

The little boy in question was with Peter and George in the playroom. The two Alpha’s were examining George’s arm. Peter had his hand on George protectively. The twin boys always looked out for each other. Their bond was strong, and Jamie suspected that ability to care for one another meant that they also knew how to look after other people. Better than Henry did. 

Henry was not a twin. He had been the first of their children repatriated and then been forced to accept more people into his life in, for Henry, a short space of time. And now there was another. 

George looked a little apprehensive as Jamie walked in. It was obvious he had not seen Mary since returning home and was avoiding her. George was next on Jamie’s list of sons to help through awkward moments. 

‘Henry,’ said Jamie, ‘would you like to go and meet your new brother?’

Henry switched from his boyish fascination in the injuries George had received to an instant pout. He frowned as hard as he could and shook his head.

‘You’ll have to meet him eventually.’

‘He’s very small,’ said George. ‘I’ve met him. I got to hold him.’

‘Ugh,’ spat Henry with disgust. ‘Don’t want to meet the smelly baby.’

‘He’s not smelly,’ assured George who was the polar opposite to Henry regarding his interest in the baby. 

Peter, who had been watching the exchange, stepped closer to Henry.

‘Could we go and see the baby together,’ he asked. ‘We don’t have to get close though, do we?’

Jamie hid a smile, ‘no, you don’t have to get close. And you don’t have to hold the baby. But I’m sure Sammy would like to see you both as well.’

‘Sammy’s my Omega,’ said Henry decisively. 

‘And he is Toby’s Omega.’

Henry scowled, ‘who’s Toby?’

‘That’s what the baby is called,’ George informed his brother.

Henry sneered, ‘don’t like it.’

Jamie suppressed a sigh as he tried to work out how to bring his son around to the idea that he had a new brother whether he liked it or not. 

'I’m not sharing my room with him.’

‘Toby will have to sleep somewhere… and boys sleep at the top of the house,’ said Jamie.

‘He can sleep in my old room and I will stay with Peter and George,’ said Henry. 

‘But Toby might get lonely,’ said George who looked concerned. 

‘Don’t care,’ pouted Henry, who also folded his arms and looked away to underline his disinterest in Toby’s welfare.

‘I don’t mind sharing with Toby,’ offered George.

It was Peter’s turn to become defensive, ‘but you share with me. You’re my twin.’

Jamie did not think he had ever seen Peter looking so put out. He seemed quite downhearted at the prospect of not being able to share a room with his brother. The two may have been different sexes and often spent hours apart but the bond between them was strong. 

‘I’d only be in the next room,’ George pointed out.

Peter did not look sure but nodded, ‘I suppose that would be alright. But we can all stay together for now, can’t we? Toby won’t be sleeping upstairs for a few days, will he?’

Jamie chuckled, ‘probably more than a few days,’ he said. ‘There’s plenty of time before he will need a big boy’s bed yet.’

Peter seemed placated when he learned that the changes would not be happening that night. Henry was pleased he would not have to share with his newest brother. George was happy the situation had been resolved. 

Jamie tried to think what their lives had been like before they had children to look after. It had certainly been quieter and less complicated. But he would not go back to those days, the challenges the children brought with them were worth each and every one. 

A~B~O

Sammy woke to find the room dim. He had fed Toby again and Daniel had whisked the baby off to meet the rest of the family. He knew he had slept for a few hours, the setting sun told him it was early evening. He knew Daniel would have to return with the baby soon as he would need feeding.

Sammy remembered the anxious moments he had experienced after Henry was born. He would not let the baby out of his sight for a second. And yet he was content to allow Toby to be taken from him mere hours after his birth. Their lives were so different now. When Henry had been born Sammy knew, despite his unconscious denials, that the baby would be taken from him once his sex was known. And Sammy had needed to be with his son for every moment until that horrible day when he was wrenched from his arms.

But that was not going to happen with Toby. Toby would not be taken from him and placed in a home to be brought up by women. To be brought up thinking his only real reason for existing was to serve the women by procreating. 

No.

Toby was going to be brought up in a loving environment with his parents and siblings and extended family. He would not know what it was like in the stark state-run homes. He would not be taught that he was inferior. He would not be taught to believe the women were superior to him. 

Women were the leaders and did have more privileges, Sammy could not deny that. But Toby would grow up being taught more balanced lessons. He would learn that a heat should be enjoyed not endured. He would learn that Omega were really the most important sex and that Alpha’s were not far behind. He would learn that Betas held as much value as any of the sexes, despite what the majority of society thought. 

The stairs creaked as Daniel returned with Toby. Sammy could hear him talking or singing softly to the baby. He smiled; his Alpha was a proud parent. It may have taken him a long time to finally have children, but he was a natural. He doted on the girls and Sammy knew Toby would get as much attention. 

The door was pushed open, Daniel peered through the gloom that had descended in the bedroom. He smiled when he saw Sammy pushing himself up to sit. 

‘You can put the light on,’ said Sammy, ‘I’d like to see my boy.’

Daniel twisted the dimmer switch, allowing a warm glow to fill the room chasing the darkness away. Toby was cradled in one of the Alpha’s arms, the tiny baby, still swaddled in cosy blankets did not look as grumpy as he had when he was first born. 

As Daniel waited for Sammy to undo his bed shirt, he updated him with what had been going on whilst he slept.

‘Mary and George are sitting at the kitchen table,’ began Daniel. ‘After Mary made a tearful apology to George, he asked her to help him read some booklets the nurse at the hospital had given him. They are currently looking at the assorted caring professions open to Omega. George appears torn between midwifery and paediatrics. Although he can’t say "paediatrics".’

Sammy chuckled as he took the baby and positioned him to feed. 

‘Henry had a little cry and a pout, but Jamie sorted him out. The boys have decided that the Alpha’s will share a bedroom and George will share with Toby. I’m not sure if that arrangement will change when we know Toby’s sex. Peter was only willing for this arrangement if they kept their bedroom doors open at night, so they are still effectively in the same room.’

Sammy shook his head, ‘I know the doors are usually open, but I worry about them falling down the stairs if they start wandering about whilst they're still half-asleep.’

Daniel smiled, ‘I knew that would concern you. Jamie was the same. I’ve set him the task of building a gate to go across the top of the stairs. The boys can paint it.’

Sammy nodded his approval. 

‘And,’ Daniel said with a dramatic pause, ‘Isabelle managed to say "Alpha" just now.’

Sammy chuckled, ‘she’s not been far off for a while now. It’s been odd waiting for the girls to talk. Henry already had a good vocabulary when we got him back. We missed that stage of his development.’

‘And they all develop at different rates. Henry is ahead of children his age because he isn’t a twin…’

Daniel stopped himself and looked at Toby. The sadness crept into his expression again. Sammy reached out his free arm and took his mates hand, pulling him to sit on the edge of the bed. 

‘Remember we have to concentrate on Toby today. We’ll not forget his brother or sister. We’ll never forget them. But for today, we’ll think about Toby.’

Daniel nodded and smiled sadly.

‘Thank you for giving me a son,’ he said with a fond look at Sammy who felt his cheeks flush.

‘It took both of us to make him,’ replied Sammy.

As the eventful day ended Sammy reflected that he was sure he could not be happier. There was the tinge of sadness at the reminder of the loss they had shared, but Sammy hoped that loss would only make their bond stronger. 

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it.  
> The next three stories are being planned. The next one is going to be light-hearted and probably fluffy. Then another bittersweet one and then a dark and horrible one.


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